Pokémon: 2024
by knownstranger
Summary: In a dystopian future, a twenty-two year old Ash Ketchum is a shadow of his past self. After a mysterious incident separated him from his beloved Pikachu, Ash's dream of being Pokemon master was shattered. Then one night, he learns of a way out of his nightmare. An "escape button". He embarks on a dark journey and learns the hardest lesson. Things change...
1. Mr Pokemon's Will

Pokemon: 2024

Mr. Pokemon's Will

_Italics indicate thoughts_

It was eight at night when Ash Ketchum arrived in Cherrygrove City in the Johto Region. It was that day again. The day he lost Pikachu. Professor Oak had called him, told him about an old friend of his that had passed away, and asked Ash to accompany him to the man's house to pay respects. Oak thought it would get his mind off of Pikachu. It wouldn't, but Ash was willing to try anything. He walked down the path out of Cherrygrove in only a plain white T-shirt and jeans. He didn't need a bag, or Pokeballs. He wasn't on a journey. Not anymore.

A half hour passed before Ash found himself standing in front of an old, dilapidated looking cabin. A broken sign lay sadly on the path in front of it. It said **Mr. Pokemon's House** in old faded letters. It had to be decades old. Ash turned and walked up the walkway to the cabin. Oak, who had seen him through the window, opened the door to greet him.

"Ash! It's been too long! How are you?"

Ash grimaced. "You know how I am Professor. You know what day it is."

Oak struggled not to slap his hand to his face in frustration. _Of course I do. You never shut-up about it…_

Then, he gestured towards the inside of the house.

"Come in, Come in!"

Ash shuffled awkwardly inside. A nervous looking man sat on a tattered and worn-out sofa. Ash recognized him as Professor Elm, a student of Oak's he had met when he started his Johto region journey. Elm wore an uncharacteristic terrified look on his face.

"You know we shouldn't be here Oak. They'll be along any minute now. For his research."

Oak smiled. "They won't get even a page. We'll see to that." He winked at Elm but it didn't seem to satisfy his fear.

Ash listened to this conversation as he stood waiting in the doorway. Against his desire to keep thinking about Pikachu, his curiosity was peeked.

"Who's they?"

Oak shared a concerned look with Elm before he replied. "It's really nothing Ash, just the local police force. They just want to make sure he died naturally."

Ash glared at him. "You're lying Professor."

Oak faked an appalled expression. "Ash! I would never lie to you!"

Ash brushed his greasy black hair back with one hand. "It's the Rocket Consortium…isn't it?"

Oak only knew one way to respond. Truthfully. "Ash. Do you have any Pokemon on you?"

Ash shook his head. "It'd be an insult to Pikachu's memory if I carried any other Pokemon by my side without him."

Oak frowned. _Then I guess it's up to me._

Ash grinned to himself. _Maybe I should have mentioned that while I'm not a trainer anymore, the world's still dangerous._ He moved a hand to his leg, where, under his jeans, a Glock 17 Gen 2 was taped to his lower thigh. _And I'm always packing heat._

He pulled out a dusty old Pokeball from his lab coat and clicked the button on the capsule to release his Pokemon. A red light erupted from the ball and took the form of the Pokemon Oak always took with him when in danger of a confrontation with the Consortium. Dragonite.

Oak stepped forward to give Dragonite a pat on the shoulder in greeting before he spoke.

"Elm is correct. While it is important to honor our old friend, it is also important that we prevent the Consortium from getting anything helpful from his death to aid in their shameless destructions."

He turned to Ash and Elm. "Mr. Pokemon's will stated that his sole request was that we destroy everything he owned. Including his research." He gestured to the locked filing cabinets in the corner.

Elm gasped. "But that research is invaluable! Think of the possible breakthroughs we can make by applying it!"

Oak sternly shook his head. "But then it would still be out there for the Consortium to pursue. It could cause great devastation in their hands. Mr. Pokemon knew that. "

Elm was infuriated, but he understood what they had to do. He nodded at Oak.

Oak then had a thought, and against his better judgment, he spoke. "Well, it couldn't hurt to take a peek for a few minutes or too…you know, just to get a better idea on how we can make the great advancements Mr. Pokemon would want us to…" He sheepishly grinned.

Elm leapt up in the air. "I know his lock combo!"

Oak practically ran over to the filing cabinets. "Then what are we waiting for?"

While the two Professors greedily rifled through the thousands of research documents, Ash had sat in the armchair adjacent to the sofa Elm had been sitting on. The armchair was the only thing in the house to still be in amazing condition. It looked brand new. However the cushion he was sitting on was extremely lumpy, which was probably why Elm chose to sit on the sofa instead. Ash finally grew impatient and got off the chair in order to see if he could find what was making the cushion so uncomfortable. He removed the cushion from the chair and discovered a zipper stretching across one side of it. He unzipped it and reached into the now open cushion to see if he could find the problem.

Ash scrunched up his face in frustration. "Nothing…nothing…noth—"

His hand had hit something leathery. It felt like a…book? He grabbed it and pulled it out, then turned around to see if the others had noticed. They were now intensely eyeing down the two research documents they had found most interesting. Ash sat down on the armchair after replacing the cushion and was pleased to find it much more comfortably. Then he looked at his find. It was a small journal, bound in leather, with a lock, but like mostly everything in the house, it was busted. The cover read **Danger and Power. A diagnosis on the most wondrous and mystifying aspects of the world as personally experienced. FOR PERSONAL RECORDS ONLY. DO NOT OPEN! DESTROY UPON DISCOVERY.** Ash was amazed. _Finally. SOMETHING cool._ Then he disobeyed Mr. Pokemon's instructions.

The journal was amazing. An altar which could transport one through dimensions if they possessed a Natu. A gate to Pokelantis. Binding spells to control legendaries (they were only mentioned, as Mr. Pokemon amusingly write: "THAT SHIT IS DANGEROUS". ) Then Ash found the last few pages. Dialga's Golden Loop. Ash began to read the caption below a picture pasted on the page of what appeared to be a golden rope.

_**This artifact of staggering and incredible power is the Golden Loop of Dialga (The Pokemon said to have created time itself.) Ancient tribes in the Sinnoh region are believed to have been initially split in two factions. One that worshipped that which manipulated space and one that praised that which controlled time. This second tribe once instated a prodigal and idealistic shaman that wished to feel that which Dialga felt when it time traveled. He wanted to time travel years ago to when a rogue faction of the rival tribe burned down an entire village of his tribe's. Hundreds had lost their lives. Including his wife and infant son. He sought to prevent their deaths as well as destroy the other tribe in retaliation. After many decades of research and experimenting with forbidden magics, the shaman's attempts fell short. Until he encountered the creature Dialga itself at a ripe old age when visiting a cave devoted to Dialga with an underground lake where the tribe would pray when they believed that had not long to live. Dialga had been in a battle of epic proportions with Palkia during that time that would only end when one perished. Dialga sought to gain an ally in a fight that it could not win alone and found him in the shaman who had spent his entire life devoted to researching and worshipping the Pokemon. He granted him his wish and had its servant, an Aridados, craft the shaman a majestic rope from its silk that represented time itself, which Dialga then bathed in its own time altering powers. When one end of the rope touched another, a time loop would be initiated and the holder would be whisked back to whichever day he thought about when he used the rope. In Dialga's honor, the shaman used his entire vast fortune to create a gold coating to soak the rope in to make it take on the appearance of woven gold(in tribal tradition, if an object was golden, it meant that the object was viewed as the greatest possession life could bestow on the owner). Many doubt the Golden Loop had worked, but records curiously show that the shamans wife and son actually did survive the village burning and died natural deaths. In fact there seems to have been no destruction of the village at all due to the fact that all records and evidence besides written accounts also show that the opposing tribe that worshipped Palkia and burned the village never existed at all. and died natural deaths while the shaman himself seems to have disappeared, according to tribal lore, at the same time a new Dialga was recorded to have appeared around the same time the Dialga was defeated in battle against the Palkia and passed. This new Dialga took the old's place and is rumored to be the exact one that exists today. As for the Golden Loop, it is said to still exist today at the bottom of the underground lake in the cave where the shaman used it. Ancient historical records found in Celestic town actually seem to agree with the legend and say it may certainly be true, but is inconsequential since none will actually be able to find the cave without an ancient map crafted by the shaman so that others too would be able to right terrible wrongs using the loop. Though, personally, it appears as if the loop can also be used to cause true evil, which is why, after years of hunting with the Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, I have found the map and keep it in this very book in order to use as an "escape button" if any evil ever becomes too much to impede.**_

Ash's heart skipped a beat and flipped past the last couple pages until he came to the back of the book. In a pocket sewn into the last page was an old, yellowed, and worn out folded up piece of paper. Ash slipped it out and unfolded the paper once in order to check the contents. _This is the map, _Ash thought in awe. He then turned to look toward the Professors. They had been packing up the files while he wasn't paying attention! Ash quickly jumped up and crammed the map back into the book. Then he stuffed them both in his back pocket literally seconds before the Professors finished and Oak turned around to talk to Ash.

"You've been quiet. You had a good nap in that armchair?"

Ash struggled to not sound panicky. "Uh…yeah. It's comfy. So, we gonna destroy this place?"

Oak grimly nodded. "It is time. Elm!"

Professor Elm quickly shoved the piece of research he had been copying down in his notepad back into the file cabinet and ran up to the Professor's side.

Oak led the two out of the cabin where his Dragonite was flying over their heads in the dark night sky.

Oak turned to the sky.

"Dragonite! …Now."

Dragonite swooped down to the cabin as the three men ran out of its way. Then it opened its mouth and in mere seconds, the entire house was a pile of debris and ashes, thanks to its dragon breath attack.

Ash somberly looked on as the house burned.

"You going to miss that armchair Ash?"

Ash looked at Oak and smiled, while at the same time he felt guilty.

"Yeah…I'll miss that armchair…"

Oak turned to Elm, and Elm knew immediately what to do.

"Alakazam! Go! Use teleport and send us all back where we came from!"

When Ash next opened his eyes he was lying in a grungy looking bed at the Pallet Town Motels in a grungy looking room. He rolled over onto his stomach to go to sleep, then he had a thought.

_That was unbelievable. So…did it happen? Or was it all a dream?_

Ash reached behind him to grasp at his back pocket and see what was inside.

Then, he pulled out a small, leather bound book…

Meanwhile, nearby Cherrygrove city, a black van pulls up by the pile of debris that used to be Mr. Pokemon's house. A shadowy figure fumed upon seeing that he would not find what he was looking for there. He pulled out a cell phone and speed dialed "1". In a few seconds a woman answered the phone.

"The place has been destroyed boss. Nothing."

The woman groaned over the phone. "Our sources told us that he had the map. If there is any remnants of anything telling us that it's still out there, you need to find it. Or I'll get someone who can."

The shadowy figure shuddered at that thought, hung up the phone and climbed out of the van to rifle through the rubbish that used to be Mr. Pokemon's house.

Thousands of miles away, at the Old Team Rocket HQ, the woman he had been speaking with threw her phone against the wall of her office. She brushed a hand through her long red hair all the way down to the spiral at the end in frustration.

"Barton!"

A shifty looking man in a black suit shuffled into the office to stand in front of her desk.

"Yes…miss?"

"I'm tired of playing games with that idiot. Send an alert call to all forces in the field and tell them to redouble their efforts in finding a purple haired man with a Meowth." She paused. "Actually, it might be a Persian now, just to shake us off."

Barton slyly grinned. "James, miss?"

The red haired woman glared at him. "Yes. James."

Barton's grin became wider, if possible. "Right away miss." He began to shuffle back out.

"And Barton?"

Barton turned back to her.

"Yes?"

"When they do…kill him."

"Yes Miss Jessie…"

_So that's the second chapter of Pokemon: 2024. Please review with how you think the story could be improved and what you think is good. I'm also open to suggestions if you want to do that. Thanks!_


	2. The Town with No Name

Pokemon:2024

Chapter 3

The Town with No Name

It was 3 AM in the morning when Ash Ketchum climbed out of his bed at the dump called Pallet Town Motels, pocketed only one other thing in addition to Mr. Pokemon's journal(a picture of Pikachu), turned in his room key and walked alone down the seemingly deserted road. On some nights, Ash would look up at the moon as he walked, and he thought he would see Pikachu smiling down at him. It was one of the few things that kept him moving. However, this time Ash wasn't heading back home to mooch a meal off of his mom. He was going to follow the map he had found in the journal. But first he needed protection. He thought of the Glock strapped to his thigh. _Legal protection. _There was a PC in a nearby town if he remembered correctly, and that's where he would go. It was even only a few miles from the first point on the map to the Golden Loop. He thought of many things on that walk. **Which old Pokemon would he retrieve from Oak's lab to join him? Could he really bring back Pikachu using the treasure the map led to? Which old traveling friends would join him on this journey? Which-**_NO! _His thoughts screamed to him upon hearing this question. _This is one journey I walk alone…_

A purple-haired man in a brown nomadic robe and a straw hat sat on a tree stump in a forest in the middle of nowhere. He too looked up at the moon in the night sky. He was also alone now. He'd left Persian back at the cottage, where he'd be safe. _But what about me? If this doesn't work…_ His thoughts were interrupted by the low growl of an engine in the distance and he stared expectantly in that direction as he got up to stand. Sure enough, an old looking black jeep rumbled through the forest in front of him to screech to a stop feet away from James. James stepped forward to the driver's side and was met with a calm looking face that belonged to a man in a tawdry looking brown trench coat. James cleared his throat to speak.

"You're from Interpol?"

"Yes. I am Looker. From the International Police. And you are James of Team Rocket."

"Not anymore." James pulled his straw hat over his eyes in nostalgia. "I quit long ago."

"You have not done any notable crimes. Why should I arrest you?"

James fumed. _ No notable crimes? Yes I have! …Oh…wait…did they have to be completed to count?_

James struggled to smile. "Because we can help each other. And because you need me."

At 7:34 AM, Ash Ketchum found himself apparently in a town. But there was nothing that he remembered a town should have in sight. No Pokemon Center. No Pokemart. However, the town did have a hospital. And a department store. Ash peered through the glass to view the inside of the closed store. Furniture and clothes. It was just like the town. Nothing related to Pokemon at all. Ash didn't understand it. Every town **had** to have a Pokemon center at least. It just had to. He turned to see an older man in a suit walking up to the door of the store, swinging a key in his hand.

"I see you're ready to enter the store young man. Step aside and I'll have it unlocked in just a second."

Ash, in a daze, let the man pass to the door so he could unlock it.

"Sir. If you don't mind me asking…where's the Pokemon Center?"

The man stopped what he was doing and turned around to stare at Ash with an appalled look on his face.

"The what?"

"The Pokemon Center. Sir?"

The man was noticeably upset and didn't speak again until a minute later when an official looking woman in a police uniform sauntered up to the door, Ash standing there confused all the while.

"Hello Mr. Jaycee. How are you today?" Ash turned to her, she didn't look at all as pretty as an Officer Jenny, who, come to mention it, should be wearing the chief of police badge she wore on her chest.

The man, Mr. Jaycee, turned to look at her. "Officer Grady. This man is a trainer."

Officer Grady whirled around to glare at Ash. "Stand still and stick your hands up."

Ash nervously did so as she approached him and began to casually frisk him. She pulled out the picture of Pikachu and stared at him.

"This thing on you?" She waved Pikachu's picture in Ash's face.

Ash frowned. "He isn't a thing. He's my friend."

Officer Grady scowled. "You make me sick. But do you have this or any other of these things with you now?"

Ash looked affronted. "Not for years lady."

She grabbed his shoulders and tackled him straight into the bulletproof glass door, where she pinned him still.

"That's Sheriff Grady to you…punk." She paused and sniffed the air around him. She wrinkled her nose.

"You have the stench of beer all over you son. You been drinking?"

Ash hesitated. _Of course! I haven't changed my shirt since that night I went on a drinking binge at that strip club. _Then. _I sicken myself…_

"Yeah Sheriff. I have. Like craaazzzaaayyy." He tried his best to slur his words convincingly.

_If she finds that journal full of dangerous Pokemon related stuff, I'm screwed. _He thought to himself. _Oh yeah…and the gun too._

She carefully studied him before scoffing and letting him go. "You make me sick. Get out of my town while you can still get out on your own two feet."

Ash quickly side stepped his way past her and Mr. Jaycee back onto the road while they glared at him.

_What a bitch. I've been tackled by officers before, but this is the first time they had no reason to! What is this place anyway? And what's their deal with Pokemon? I'll call Oak at the next town's center…do I still have his number?_

By this time, people were starting to stagger out of the houses lining the road so they could start their day. Ash did his best to look inconspicuous. Then he heard a noise. Someone was struggling against something. Loudly. Ash kept walking down the road, in the direction of the noise…then.

_Oh crap._

A kid, age twelve at the most, was being restrained by two officers as they walked. Each one was gripping was of his arms with one of their bigger, burlier ones. Walking at their side was another officer, holding a steel cage in his arms. The front of the cage was made of bulletproof glass. And visible inside the cage was a Rattata, one of the weakest Pokemon Ash had ever seen. The poor kid the officers were restraining was shouting at the top of his lungs, but if Ash had learned anything from his own experiences with the law, there would be no help for him this time. Ash had stopped, paralyzed with shock…and for the first time since he had lost Pikachu…sympathy?

Now they were passing Ash and the boy quickly turned in his direction to make yet another attempt to get someone to get him free.

"Mister! Mister! Please! Help me! I'm begging you! I didn't do anything!"

Ash couldn't move. He was still shocked, and he had no idea what to do. Then they passed, with the boy still desperate enough to continue trying to get Ash's help. Helpless, Ash continued walking.

"Please! Sir! They're going to kill my Rattata!"

Ash froze. _What? I know I'm not a trainer anymore but…am I really as heartless now as I thought?_ A second later he had his answer.

He whirled around to face the officers, the cage and the boy as they became farther and farther away from his reach.

"Stop."

The officer holding the cage motioned for his friends to stop moving and they turned to face Ash.

"What?"

"You're going to kill a weak ass Rattata?"

"You new around here? No shit."

Ash took a step forward.

"Give the kid back the Pokemon."

The officer smirked. "I'm just doing my job. And from the stench of it, you're not well enough right now to be in any sort of confrontation. So how 'bout you sober up and come back later?"

Ash froze again. _Hate to admit it, but he might be right. It's three against one and I have no Pokemon. I have a gun, but so do they. I'm screwed. And so is that Rattata. _Then he noticed someone running up the road to join them. Sheriff Grady. _Oh shit!_

She stopped inches away from Ash's face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing punk? I thought I told you to get your ass out of my town! And now you're confronting my officers?"

She reached down to her belt and pulled out a shotgun.

Ash leapt back. "What are you doing? You're police! You can't shoot me for this!"

"This is my town." She steadied the shotgun and took aim at Ash's head. "And thing's change. Now walk."

She motioned for the other officers to continue taking the boy and the Rattata to their destination. Then she returned to glaring at Ash down the barrel of her shotgun.

"You're leaving this town kid. Alive…or…" She moved the gun for ward so the barrel was resting right at his chin. "Dead."

Then she pushed it forward. Ash got the message. He quickly turned around and speedily walked down the road, while she shoved the barrel straight into his back to prod him forward every now and then. All the while, civilians calmly watched from their homes and around them, as if this was an everyday occurrence.

After about a half hour of this, they arrived at the town boundary.

"Take that dirt road there and you should find yourself at a truck stop in about two days walking time. If you're lucky, maybe you'll get a ride back where you came from." She paused. "And if I ever see you in my town again…I will shoot." She pushed the barrel of the gun straight into his chest, knocking the wind out of him, for old time's sake. "To kill."

Ash dejectedly took a step forward to leave the town and embark on the rest of his journey. Except now it felt like the blood of that Rattata was on his hands. Then…

A blue jalopy haphazardly rocketed down the street out of nowhere, a stout, rosy faced and finely dressed man at the wheel. The car screeched to a halt inches away from the Sheriff as Ash turned to watch. Clearly the rosy faced man wasn't the best driver. _Wish he would've hit her. _Ash thought disappointedly.

The man climbed out of the car to meet with the Sheriff and he shook her hand.

"Sheriff Grady."

"Kanto Head Commissioner Gregor." It was clear she wasn't his biggest fan.

"I see you're doing one of your famous trainer witch hunts this fine morning", he said sarcastically.

"This man is a menace to the safety of my town Commissioner. I refuse to—"

"Your town?" He frowned. "This is my town Sheriff. And I would appreciate it if you would include me in some of these…" He cleared his throat. "…brash decisions."

"This decision is done sir." She whirled around to gaze at Ash in hatred. "Leave."

"Stay."

Both the Sheriff and Ash turned to look at the Commissioner in shock.

"I discussed this matter with one of the officers escorting that Rattata and his trainer on your weekly…death march. It appears as if the only fault this man has is entering this town without understanding the silly laws behind it."

The Sheriff fumed and snapped at him. "Silly? I AM THE LAW IN THIS TOWN!"

The man merely chuckled. "And I can fire you. So am I the law too?"

The Sheriff snarled, and he continued.

"I expect this will suffice as my monthly check up on your performance. Now if you desire to prevent any more infractions to be included on my report, I suggest you allow this young man to return to town for as long as he desires. Is that clear?"

The Sheriff was now shifting back and forth in rage. "Yes…sir."

The rosy faced man turned back to face Ash. "I shall be on my own way from here as soon as I…discuss a few things with the Sheriff…can I expect to meet with you again. I have a feeling you show…promise…for a mission I have embarked on."

"Yes sir." Ash broadly grinned and rushed forward to shake his hand.

"Then good day…"

"Ash."

"Good day Ash. And if you get any trouble…"

He secretly slipped Ash an official looking piece of paper and turned to talk to the Sheriff.

Ash didn't want to return to the town from hell. It was the last thing he ever wanted to do. But he had his own mission. He wasn't a trainer. But he still had a heart. He knew that now. Maybe a fraction of his ten year old self still existed inside him, he'd need it for the dark road that he knew was ahead of him.

Ash Ketchum turned back to the road leading back through town and laughed when he saw an outraged Sheriff Grady glaring at him, mouth gaping in rage.

As he walked back through town, the townspeople were now staring at him in bewilderment. _I guess Ol' Sheriff Grady really is the law here. It's clear whose side these people are on." _It was true. It was obvious that the one thing the townspeople wanted more than anything at this point was for this man who their Sheriff hated to leave their town. But Ash didn't care. _I'll leave soon enough assholes. _He awkwardly chuckled as he continued the walk until he arrived at a stone, menacing building, far from the warmth he felt whenever he passed a police station in any other town. Sure enough, a sign in front said Police HQ. Ash gripped the paper that Gregor had given him and sauntered in. As expected, dozens of officers immediately ran up to him, guns aimed and ready. Ash casually held up the note for all to see and they reluctantly backed away, lowering their guns as they did so. They all left the main lobby, unable to be around Ash. A noticeably fit African American officer in his forties with graying hair stayed behind to speak with Ash.

"Why'd the Commissioner want to protect you so bad?"

Ash grinned. "Haven't you been paying attention? I'm always the hero of the story."

"Yeah, so why do you smell like a common drunk, hero?"

Ash grimaced. "Where's the Rattata?"

"Still alive if that's what you're asking. It's sentenced to die in an hour or two, with its owner watching his monster get destroyed. Maybe it'll help him realize the error of his ways and why the deed has to be done." He sadly shrugged. "Probably not."

Ash slightly let down his guard. Did the guy actually feel bad for the Pokemon? Maybe he'd actually found a good cop for the first time that day…

The cop held out a hand to shake Ash's. "Name's Jack Denley. Used to be a cop here. Before the change happened and Grady took over. I'm the only cop from the golden days of this city."

"Ash." Ash replied.

Denley showed a profound disappointment in his eyes. "I miss the Pokemon Ash. They were what made this town great, you know. Of course, back then it was a city, but without the Pokemon, things shrunk down."

Ash gazed at Denley in a mixture of shock and empathy. "What happened?"

"Ever hear of the legendary birds?"

"Yeah?"

"This one. Moltres. It…" He struggled to speak through his emotion. "Flew over the town…for lord knows what reason and scorched everything in sight. My thought is that it was the Rockets. No one else seemed to care. Most people hear lost their fate in Pokemon. They were afraid of them. They even began to stop saying that word and just called 'em monsters. Sad really. They let 'em go. Those that really loved their Pokemon left the town. There was no place for them anymore…The people requested a new sheriff, and the Commissioner had no choice but to give them what they wanted when they began to protest. He replaced Officer Jenny with Grady, a formerly secret anti-Pokemon activist. Not anymore. She revealed her secret in a big way. Shut down everything Pokemon related. Left Nurse Joy out of a job. I wish I could make a difference. Just this once."

Ash sympathetically patted the shoulder of his new friend. "You will."

"People like you here Jack?"

Denley nodded, "I'm the most senior cop here, remarkably that still salvages their respect for me despite me being a…" He grimaced and struggled to say the words. "Monster sympathizer."

Ash soothingly smiled. "Good." He gave Denley a hug as the man hung his head in sadness. Ash's hand began to float to this thigh…

Minutes later, the entire police department ran into the lobby in response to the sound of Denley's shouts ringing through the halls of the building. When they got there, they were met with a terrifying sight. Their beloved fellow officer was being held at gunpoint by the man who the Commissioner had told them to leave alone. Denley stared at them in terror.

"He wants the Rattata!"

The others looked on in fear.

"But…we can't," one man replied, "What will the Sheriff say?"

Ash glared at them. "It's your friend. Or the Rattata. And the boy."

At this point the crowd began to part to reveal a kind looking woman holding the steel cage with the Rattata inside with the boy walking beside her.

She, like everyone else, was looking at Denley and Ash in fear.

**Then Denley winked.**

The officer worriedly smiled back and handed Ash the cage. Then she glared at him angrily.

"You have them. Let him go. We won't stop you from leaving."

Ash pushed Denley forward into her arms and they embraced.

Ash motioned for the boy to follow him out of the building. Denley curiously stepped up to the door when he left and grabbed his own gun from the holster. "Let them go. He's won. He'll leave now. Isn't that what the Sheriff wanted?"

Ash had let the Rattata out of the cage as soon as they were outside and told it to walk in front of them as they walked down the road to leave town. Every time someone tried to stop them, the boy, Joey, would call out: "Use Hyper Fang!" And despite Rattata not doing anything, the townsperson would flee in terror.

Back at the police department, Denley and the female officer sat together on a sofa in the lobby.

"Vicky. We finally made a difference. I feel as if our old city is coming back to us."

They both shared a smile, but they knew that their city was probably gone for good.

Vicky patted him on the shoulder. "A fake hostage situation. I thought you were only for the most ethical, by the book solutions."

"This was more than ethical. This was what was right."

Vicky nodded in agreement and happily waved goodbye as she packed up her things to leave the department. Her shift had ended.

Jack Denley sat by himself on the sofa as he stared contently into space. "Whatever you're the hero of Ash…good luck."

Meanwhile, in the same building, Sheriff Grady sat in her office at the highest floor of the police department, which was also the only room to feature soundproof walls. She sat in her favorite armchair, cell phone in hand as she spoke.

"You were right. It was him. I realized it as soon as the Commissioner took an interest in him. The Pikachu photo should've been a dead giveaway. But I can still get him for you. I know a guy…"

She nodded as the person on the phone with her said one last piece of information to her regarding her objective, then hung up. She then dialed a new number.

"Yeah. It's me. I got a job for you…"

Ten minutes later, at the edge of town, the youngster named Joey and Ash Ketchum stood in silence at the town boundary, ready to say their goodbyes.

"I can't thank you enough mister. You really saved us back there. You and that cool cop guy."

"Don't mention it. Actually I think it's what I'm meant to do."

"Where are you going?"

"Can't say."

"Can I come?"

"No. No one else deserves to go down the path I'm headed. I know that now."

"Well…good luck."

"Thanks. You too."

Youngster Joey and his Rattata scampered off ahead, leaving Ash alone in the light of the sunset. Then he began to walk too. He had to get to the next town and get his team from Oak's before he did anything else. As he thought, he forgot to watch where he was looking and walked slightly off the path. Then, as he walked, his foot hit something metallic buried in the dirt by the path.

"What?"

He knelt down and dug up part what looked like a metal sign. For some reason, he decided to continue his efforts at uncovering his discovery. He took a hand and began to brush the dirt off the sign, which was laying flat beneath it. When he finally managed to read what the sign said. His heart sank. Then he turned around and continued on his journey to the next town.

_Perhaps some things are better left unknown,_ He thought to himself.

Behind him, the sign was left partially unburied, leaving what it said visible to all who passed it:

WELCOME TO VIRIDIAN CITY


	3. Cat and Mouse

Pokemon: 2024

Chapter 4

Cat and Mouse

_The following events take place one hour after those of "The Town With No Name"_

It took one long hour of walking before Ash arrived at the next checkpoint on his way to Pewter City. Unfortunately there wasn't anything much to do on the walk besides dwell on the terrible secret of the last town he had passed through. It was the dead of night when he stood at the edge of the Viridian Forest. The trees stood menacingly in the cold black night as their leaves blew in the windy weather. When Ash traveled with Brock, this was usually when his older friend would advise for them to set up camp, but Brock wasn't here. Ash wasn't tired, and he was too spooked by the day's previous events to rest anytime soon. So he kept walking and soon found himself in a setting he knew too well. Viridian Forest was one of the first places he'd traveled as a trainer and he was there again.

Ash peered through the forest ahead to try and find the quickest path out. He finally settled on just walking straight and hoped desperately that he would make it out fast. The first thing he noticed was that things were quieter than usual in the forest, even during the night time. It was like all the native Pokemon were hiding.

Ash frowned. _But what are they hiding from? _He wondered.

A few miles back, officer Jack Denley of what used to be Viridian City drove up to a dilapidated and abandoned warehouse at the edge of Viridian City in an equally rundown looking car. He looked behind him to make sure no one was following him and then quickly walked up to and entered the locked warehouse through an unlocked side window hid by a sign that said CONDEMNED in big black letters that was easily removed. Standing in the center, as if she was keeping a silent vigil was Sheriff Grady, dressed in casual clothes for the first time since he'd met her.

"Jack?"

"Yeah. It's me. What's so important that you needed to see me at this time of night? I'm off duty and I was really planning to get some sleep for once."

"I know. But I had to talk to you." She grimaced. "You were assigned to this case, am I correct?" She handed him a case file in an unusual black folder, which he quickly opened.

"Yes."

"And I'm told he escaped your custody."

"Yes." Denley's facial expression was full of regret.

"I heard you had an update on the case's status?"

Denley nodded. "The forest Sheriff."

Grady frowned. "That's where that law breaking fool from earlier today was headed, am I correct?"

Denley looked confused. "He's going to the forest?"

Grady nodded, "A matter that should be dealt with, don't you agree?"

Denley yawned. "Not by me, right? I've been working nonstop lately. You've got to give a guy a break."

Grady nodded again in understanding and walked around to stand behind him.

She cleared her throat. "Attention Officer."

Grady straightened his posture and stared straight ahead of him with his hands at his sides, Grady remained behind him, out of sight.

"You have been working much Officer. Would you like a break?"

Denley shook his head. "I am fine with your current schedule Sheriff."

Grady grinned. "Really? Because I've heard you may actually be looking for more work."

Denley raised an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really?" She stepped closer to him. "I've been on this job for years Officer. I recognize suspicious behavior. Yours. In particular."

Denley struggled to remain calm.

Grady stepped closer. "I also know when to follow a hunch. So I dusted off the old lie detector. Got one of my most reliable officers. Someone your close to."

Denley's voice began to crack under the pressure. "That thing's defective. One lie and the resulting shock could kill whoever it's strapped to."

Grady stepped closer. "I know."

Denley's eyes shot open as he gritted his teeth in fear and attempted to break away from the iron grip Grady now held around his body as he felt the cold metal of a shotgun barrel shove against his back.

Grady grinned as broadly as ever. "Officer Vicky apparently prizes her own life very highly." She shoved the gun once more into his back. "Very highly." She shoved the shotgun forward again. "I know Jack. You violated a year old law. A law I would even go as far as to call sacred. And you helped a known law breaker, a criminal prevent the necessary death of one of those freaks of nature that we work so hard to rid this town of for everybody's safety."

Denley broke into a cold sweat of terror as he retained a calm face.

"And I bet you'll say you weren't going to the forest to save your criminal friend Ketchum before I called you. You were just trying to go home and get some sleep. Is that correct?"

Denley calmly nodded as he gained back his composure.

"Right."

Grady's grin became even wider as her finger slowly pressed down on the trigger of the shotgun against Denley's back.

At this time, Denley had resigned himself to the future and began to pray, not for himself, but for his family and friends, including the just recently met Ash Ketchum. He prayed they would have a better future than him.

Then the resounding blast of a shotgun being fired rung through the entire abandoned warehouse.

Officer Jack Denley collapsed and slumped down to the floor, where his lifeless body lay on the cold metal warehouse floor in silence.

Grady removed the shotgun from its position and casually flung it into a corner of the warehouse, where it landed with an echoing clatter.

"Wrong", she muttered before calmly walking back to the window through which she and Denley had entered the locked warehouse, leaving Jack's lifeless body sprawled in the exact same position he had fallen.

Officer Jack F. Denley was a good cop.

Back in Viridian Forest, Ash began to question the cause of the spooky atmosphere that had spread throughout the area and the overwhelming silence that accompanied it. Ash's hand lowered slowly to his belt, where his Glock was now expertly attached and concealed. Then…

"Hyper beam. Now."

A terrifying blast suddenly hit him in the back, knocking him off his feet, Ash landed face down and tiredly fighting back a blinding hot pain. He wearily reached a hand around to his back where a hole had been seared through his shirt and felt an incredibly painful scorch mark that had been imprinted on his back. But Ash Ketchum wasn't new to the feeling of this latest problem, not to mention the fact that he was devastatingly incapable of shutting up when he had to.

Ash staggered to his feet. "Asshole! You thought that would hurt me? Who the hell do you think you are? I used to get burned every damn day of the week! And shocked! And occasionally so freakin' frozen that I couldn't feel my own—"

"Psychic."

Ash instantly felt himself lifted into the air by an unseen force, he struggled to turn around to see it, but that question was answered when a threatening looking Gengar floated into his vision, along with the Tyranitar that had used Hyper Beam and a Scizor, and behind them…

Ash's eyes widened in shock as he struggled to remain calm.

Before him stood a man dressed in a black metallic suit that reminded Ash of the Iron Man comics he used to read when he first gave up being a trainer. And on his face, he wore an accessory Ash recognized all too well. An iron mask with two slits so the man's eyes could see.

"You."

The man chuckled. "You recognize me. That actually makes things a lot easier."

Ash tried to nod, but Gengar's psychic attack kept him from making any movements at all. "You tried to use that poor, innocent Celebi for evil back in Illex Forest when I was traveling as a trainer. You tried using an evil kind of Pokeball to enslave it. How could I forget a douchebag like you?"

The Iron Masked Marauder(IMM) just chuckled again.

Ash fumed. "I thought you were dead. Those forest Pokemon were about to kill you last time I saw you."

IMM nodded. "True. But you forget. There were three other Team Rocket Members in the forest with me. Jessie, James and Meowth were ordered to free me. And for once they actually succeeded with their mission."

Ash frowned and thought to himself. _James and Meowth huh? I haven't heard those names in years…_

"It took years to engineer more equipment after you destroyed my old ones. But I did it. This metallic suit?" He gestured to the suit he was wearing. "State of the art. Nothing can hurt me when I'm in this. I discovered that I could battle and catch Pokemon on my own. And I succeeded. When the Rocket Consortium formed in the ashes of the old organization, I was naturally one of the first to be recruited by the new boss to become a Lieutenant. I fit into the job immediately. In only one year, the new Rockets rose to the top of Kanto, and in my opinion, it's all thanks to my freshly caught dark army of Pokemon." He sneered. "Whether they were already caught…or not."

Ash would have grimaced if he wasn't under the influence of the psychic attack.

"Get to the point. You got me. Why?"

IMM shrugged. "Just following orders. Some back to the basics fad the boss started. Wants all her old enemies dead before she can finally feel like she's won. Don't know why she bothers. It's not like it'll matter after our end game is complete. But I guess I do need to follow orders. So I joined in. Unfortunately, I was the only one with a plan. Took on the so fun role of a serial killer, been murdering random poor fools for the past few months now. Thought you of all people would take a stand against me. But I guess either you truly are retired or you're so caught up in your own shit that you can't see squat coming anymore."

Ash's eyes rolled. _Wow. Am I that dense now? _He thought to himself. Then he focused on IMM again in anger. "So, you killing me now?"

"Idiot. I'm a friggin' poacher. You should know I like the thrill of the hunt. I like to scare my prey before I kill it. But I am going to pass on a message. Run Ketchum. You may be retired as a trainer but ain't nothing gonna protect you from the hell you're in." He motioned for Gengar to stop using psychic on Ash and he fell to the ground, exhausted.

"I don't know what kind of journey you're on now, but give up. You're going to die. Sooner than later. I will always be after you. And so will others. They're already moving in the shadows as we speak. Ready. Waiting." He walked over to Ash and picked up his Glock, which had fallen to the ground and stuffed it into a large compartment he opened on his suit. He sighed. "First lesson. There is no defense. Not that you'll remember any advice I give to you anyway." IMM smirked. "You have one week to find a good hiding place before our game of hide and seek continues. Before you die." He motioned to Gengar. "Hypnosis."

As IMM's Scizor rendered Ash immobile yet again, the Gengar stared at Ash hypnotically. Ash slumped as he fell into a deep sleep…

Hours later...as the sun had begun to rise, Ash Ketchum opened his eyes to find himself in Viridian Forest, alive with life. Pokemon were everywhere, just as they should be. Ash yawned, he finally felt rested for the first time since he'd embarked on his new journey. As he walked through the forest to go to Pewter City, he noticed a tree full of berries and climbed up to have lunch. As he sat on a branch of the tree eating, he pulled Mr. Pokemon's journal out of his pocket and pulled the map to the Golden Loop of Dialga out of that. For the first time, he noticed the map only showed where the Loop was, but had no sign of how to get there. He shrugged. _Well, at least I know where I'm going after I get my Pokemon. _He looked up to the sky, deep in thought. _Vermillion City. It has an airport now. I bet a pilot could take me there. _He climbed down from the tree to continue down the path to Pewter City, which was now extremely close, still gazing at the sky as he walked. _I'm coming Pikachu, _he said in his thoughts to his lost friend, even though he knew he wouldn't hear him.

Then Ash thought of something else. How had he gotten so far into the forest? He only remembered entering it mere minutes ago. So how was he so close to Pewter City? Actually, he didn't remember anything that had happened for hours. He thought as hard as he could until he came to a startling conclusion. He gasped in shock.

"I don't remember how I got here. Because…I don't remember. I don't remember…"

**_NEXT CHAPTER:_**

**_Ash finally reaches Pewter City and someone from his past makes her presence known and is forced to face a startling truth concerning the retired trainer…_**


	4. Keep Hope Alive

Pokemon: 2024

Chapter 5

Keep Hope Alive

When Ash left Viridian Forest, he had a lot of questions. Actually, just one. _What happened in Viridian Forest? _He couldn't remember anything…except one thing. _A face cloaked by shadow. An ominous voice. Run. _Someone was after him. _But what? _He knew he'd known at some point, but for some reason, his memory of the event was gone. For now the only option was to continue on to Pewter City.

For the first time Ash noticed his surroundings.

"Rocky ground. I thought the ground would still be grassy like when it was the last time I went to Pewter City."

The next thing he noticed was that there seemed to be no way to continue down the path. The huge stone wall of a mountain stopped him cold. Except for a narrow entrance between two huge boulders.

"Whoa. I guess things sure did change since I last traveled here…"

He shrugged and walked up to the boulders and stuck his head inside the entrance. The passage actually appeared to widen into a huge path through the mountain cave. Not desiring to go back after coming so far, Ash hesitated before squeezing through the narrow entrance. The cavern path was huge and as Ash noticed as he continued walking, it was also very rugged and appeared as if it was carved by someone. Or something.

He noticed it was way to dark to see and began to consider turning back when he heard a crackling sound. Like flame. Lining the walls of the cave were many lanterns hung on the wall, each with a brightly burning flame. Ash paused. There was no way those lanterns lit themselves, or hung themselves for that matter. Someone had hung them and something told him that that person knew he was there.

"RRRROOOOAAAARRRR!"

Ash tripped in surprise and nearly fell on his face.

"What the hell was that?"

Ash froze. A loud rumbling noise vibrated through the cave.

"I haven't eaten in a while. Maybe its my stomach…"

The noise became closer.

"Guess not!"

As the noise grew closer, Ash was shocked to find that the lanterns behind him were quickly blowing out. Then, out of the shadows came the thing Ash knew must have carved the tunnel.

"An Onix!"

A giant Onix raced towards him as he accepted that there was no running back, only running forward. Ash barreled through the tunnel as the Onix grew extremely close. Just as he began to resign to his fate, he found a chance. He heard rushing water in the distance as he ran.

_Maybe…_

Then he fell. As he neared a cliff invisible in the dark, the ground that made up its edge collapsed under his feet.

"CRAP!"

He suddenly fell with the debris of the ground. Fast.

SPLOOSH!

He was right. He had heard rushing water. He was in some kind of underground river. A raging underground river. The Onix stopped on a dime above him, afraid to go off the cliff and into the water. Ash had escaped. But now there was another problem. The rapids of the river were growing faster and he could just make out the faint outline of many rocks stuck in the water. Each time he attempted to grab one to stop, it broke off from the bottom of the river and it flew down the river with Ash still gripping it until he let it go to grab the next rock.

Suddenly, Ash felt a huge breeze blow through the cave. One thing he learned from traveling with Brock was that a breeze had to mean that the exit from the cave was nearby. He looked up to glimpse a bright light emerging from a stone gateway that looked like the river led through. As the river surged toward the gateway, Ash relaxed with the thought that he'd finally escape the danger of the river. As he thought about it, he glimpsed a feminine form standing by the gateway, it looked like she was washing some pots and pans. She would see him. Maybe even save him.

He had stopped worrying about the rocks now that he had hope of escaping the river with no problem. Big mistake.

The next second, he crashed head first into the biggest boulder in the river yet.

LATER…

"Ugh."

Ash slowly opened his eyes and blinked once. He felt dizzy. With one hand he felt his forehead and found a huge bump. He groaned. _I must have been knocked out by that boulder, _he thought. For the first time he noticed his surroundings.

"It's a cell." He staggered to his feet and looked around. It looked like a prison cell had been crudely carved out of stone, with a glassless window carved out of one side. A putrid smell wafted through the room. In a corner was a hole carved out of the stone hole.

"What's that for?"

Ash walked over to the hole and stopped when his suspicions were confirmed. He wrinkled his nose.

"So that's what the smell was. It's crap!"

_The hole must have been so prisoners had a place to…_His thoughts were interrupted up a new one.

"How'd I get here from the river?"

"I fished you out."

Ash turned to the cell window and glimpsed the face of…

"Nurse Joy?"

She nodded. "I never forget a face. You're Ash right?"

Ash nodded. "How do you know my…"

"My name? I remember when you passed through Viridian City many years ago."

Ash gasped. "You're the Viridian City Nurse Joy? They ran you out of town when they started to hate Pokemon!" He frowned and glanced sympathetically at her. "It must have been a horrible experience."

She nodded. "It was. I spent a year wandering, looking for work after that. I never found any and I had no home since I left my house behind in Viridian City." She gazed into his eyes nostalgically. "Then, one day I decided to camp in that rocky area you were in. It was cold that night and the ground was hard to sleep on. I almost felt like I wanted to freeze to death right there. Then they found me. While I was sleeping they took me here. They nursed me back to full health and offered me a job as an apprentice in their society. Years later, here we are. I was the one that found you and got you out of the river when you were unconscious. I told the chief priestess, the leader, thinking they could help you too. Instead, to my shock, they threw you in here." She turned away from Ash. "I'm sorry."

Ash raised an eyebrow. _Sorry for what? _He wondered. Then he had another question. "Where is here?"

"It's a secret society Ash. It was believed to be extinct, but it appears to have risen again. However, it can only be found by those the inhabitants allow to. A psychic blindfold keeps all else from ever coming near here. They know all the tricks in the book when preserving their society from trouble."

"Who's they?"

Nurse Joy turned to behind her and motioned to something Ash could not see. Ash tried to see what it was until he heard a teleporting sound and was tapped on the shoulder from behind. He whirled around to see what Nurse Joy must have been talking to.

"A Gardevoir!"

The next thing he knew, Gardevoir stuck out a single finger and gently touched Ash's forehead. Ash's eyes shot open as he began to see flashing vivid images right before his eyes.

**Potions. Stone. Light. Truth. **The flashing became even brighter as Ash felt as if he himself was becoming a part of the images Gardevoir was showing him.

When he opened his eyes he found himself in a primitive looking village filled with many lean-tos with one gigantic cabin at the center of them with a huge fire in front. Many women walked around him and he recognized them all.

"More Nurse Joys!"

"Yes." The Nurse Joy he had been talking to appeared beside him.

"I'm using Gardevoir's psychic abilities to show you a vision of where we are. This is the ancient secret society that all Nurse Joys have derived their healing abilities from. This society of shaman healers have been healing Pokemon using mystic properties since as far back in history as has been recorded. They have reemerged in recent years as a haven against catastrophe. They take in all injured Pokemon in the area and heal them back to full health before anything serious happens. They are different from regular Nurse Joys though. They still believe in ancient customs and dress in ancient robes."

Ash noticed that all the Nurse Joys were wearing red satin robes as if they were togas.

Nurse Joy grimaced. "From what I have heard, I believe you may be in grave danger. This cell has a history. It has held all dangers that have threatened the village before their trial." Her face fell with sadness. "I'm sorry, but I have been trained to oversee your trial."

Ash watched as the village faded around him until Gardevoir's vision ended and he was once again standing in the stone cell watching Nurse Joy through the carved window.

"My trial?"

"Yes. You have been found to be in possession of a dangerous journal that could destroy our society. The chief priestess discovered this in a vision. And for that reason we allowed you to find our village in order to participate in your trial." She held up Mr. Pokemon's journal and Ash gasped. Without that there was no way he could find the Loop and get back Pikachu. "You must prove the worthiness of your heart to leave and continue your quest. Or you shall be destroyed for our safety." Nurse Joy's expression became darker and more menacing. "Ash Ketchum. Your hour of judgment has risen. Your future holds a battle to be held immediately that shall either redeem you…

Ash gulped in fear.

Nurse Joy glared menacingly. "Or destroy you." She made a simple hand motion to Gardevoir, hidden behind the stone wall and it appeared before Ash again after using teleport. It stuck a single finger toward his forehead and Ash gasped. As it touched his forehead gently, Ash's legs collapsed and his eyes drooped shut. His jaw slacked. Then he blacked out.

LATER

Ash once again woke up. But this time was different. He heard cheering. And the light was agonizingly bright. He leapt to his feet and whirled around to find out where he was.

"A stadium?"

He seemed to be in a stone stadium. A huge stone stadium. Ash saw many of the society's Nurse Joys he had heard about in their satin robes with another one in a completely different blue stain robe on an elevated platform in the center of the audience. She had to be the Chief Priestess he'd heard of. Ash tried to move but gasped when he noticed that his left ankle was shackled to the stone wall behind him. He noticed that the Nurse Joy from his prison cell was now beside him in a white robe.

"Help me," he groaned desperately.

She shook her head as she held up a megaphone and began to speak.

Ash frowned. "Since when is a megaphone part of an ancient society?"

She whirled around at him. "The accused will remain silent!"

Ash shut up.

She turned to the audience. "Today we shall judge the heart of Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. The accused has been seen with this book," She held up Mr. Pokemon's journal. "The book has the capability to destroy this society if Ash Ketchum wills it to. We are here to judge if the accused's heart is pure enough to not use the journal for destruction! As is tradition, we shall find the answer to this question through a trial! A battle in this stone stadium against our guardian! Ash shall be shackled in place as his heart will be tested for pureness by whether he shall defeat the guardian. If he does, tradition says he is pure and shall be released. If not…death. Ash Ketchum. Choose that Pokemon which will fight on your behalf now."

Ash panicked and became resigned to doom. "I don't have any…?"

Nurse Joy gave him a small smile as she gestured for him to look at the Chief Priestess, whose voice boomed across the stadium.

"Ash Ketchum. You shall be allowed the choice of any of your Pokemon. Your choice will be sent here by my will to aid you in your trial, you have only to make it."

Ash gave a sigh of relief but wasn't done panicking just then. _How do I know what Pokemon will be best to use against their guardian?_

The Nurse Joy beside him glared at him. "You must choose now. You must think of the name of the Pokemon you shall battle with, and it shall appear to fight beside you!"

Ash couldn't make up his mind. Then he decided the only option was power. He had retired as a trainer years ago and he hadn't been in a battle for that long. He had to use power in case his battling skills weren't what they used to be. Ash looked up at Nurse Joy.

"Okay."

Nurse Joy nodded. "Is this your final choice?"

Ash gulped and nodded.

Up on her pedestal in the audience, the Chief Priestess was brought a staff with a beautiful looking jewel on the top.

The Priestess began to speak. "Oh magics of our ancient society! Lend yourselves to me!" She raised her staff in the air and the jewel on top began to glow as Ash began to hear a flapping sound above him. He looked up to grin at his choice, which was grinning back at him, confused as to how it got there, but happy to see Ash.

Ash nodded up at his Pokemon. "Welcome back buddy."

The Chief Priestess interrupted the reunion. "Silence! You and your Pokemon shall now do battle against our guardian. Battle valiantly and prove the pureness of your heart, for if you do not, you and your Pokemon shall perish at the hands of our protector!"

Ash looked back up at his Pokemon. "You ready?"

He was interrupted again by the Chief Priestess raising her staff even higher in the air as the jewel on top of it began to grow blindingly bright.

"Oh guardian of this ancient society of Pokemon healers that stands for hope itself during these dangerous times! Reveal yourself!"

Ash heard an even greater flapping sound in the air as he saw the guardian of the society of Joys finally reveal itself. Ash's fear multiplied by ten as he stood frozen in place.

"Oh crap."

A giant stone creature flew through the air in front of him. It looked like a Pokemon he knew all too well.

"It's a stone Ho-Oh!"

The Nurse Joy beside him nodded. "Indeed. It is our guardian. It shielded the ancient society from the dark one long ago. It now resides in the mighty fire gem of the Chief Priestess! You shall engage it in battle for your life, as well as the ability to continue your journey!"

The cheers in the stadium became even louder as Ash looked up at his Pokemon. It rarely ever looked scared. But now it did.

The Chief Priestess sat in her throne on her platform. "May the battle commence! The accused shall make the first move!"

Ash's Charizard looked down at him. Ash put on a brave face and smiled. We got this Charizard!" Charizard roared in agreement. Both glared at the stone Ho-Oh, which was waiting for their move.

"Charizard! That Ho-Oh's made of rock, so a steel move might actually do some damage! Use Steel Wing!"

Charizard rocketed towards Ho-Oh up above the stadium.

Ho-Oh let out a torrent of purple flames in response, which Charizard quickly dodged.

Ash gasped. "What the hell was that?"

Nurse Joy smiled. "Our guardian possesses special moves that have never been heard of outside our society. That is its Exalted Flame attack!"

Ash turned back to Charizard. "We don't know how powerful those special moves are, dodge 'em all! Now! Use your Dragon Breath!"

A powerful blue breath left Charizard's mouth and hit Ho-Oh. Hard. Ho-Oh let out another Exalted Flame attack in response.

"Dodge Charizard!"

Charizard tried dodging but wasn't fast enough to keep the attack from hitting the edge of one of its wings. The wing quickly grew purple with fire.

"Blow it off!"

Charizard quickly blew out the fire, but for some reason its wing had began to glow with red, and Charizard appeared to be in pain.

Ash grimaced. "It's burnt!"

Ash was right, and from the looks of it, Charizard appeared to be losing health fast. Ash knew he had to win the battle fast, for Charizard's sake. Up above, Ho-Oh was racing toward Charizard. It looked like it was going to ram Charizard. Except Ho-Oh had burst into flames as it rocketed towards Charizard. It had to be another attack.

Ash had an idea. "Don't move Charizard!"

The crowd gasped as the Priestess looked on in surprise. "But the guardian's attack could destroy his Charizard if it doesn't dodge it!"

But Charizard had confidence in Ash.

"Wait for it. Wait for it…"

Ho-Oh was now seconds away from Charizard.

"Seismic Toss!"

Charizard grabbed Ho-Oh as soon as it was within reach and flew up into the air.

"Hold down its wings so it can't fly away!"

Charizard nodded and did what he said. Ho-Oh tried to get away, but Ash was excited to see that his plan was working.

"Now!"

Charizard was now high above the stadium. He quickly dive bombed towards the field with Ho-Oh in tow and turned them around so Ho-Oh was below him.

"Don't let go of it until it hits the ground!"

Then they crashed into the field, with Charizard landing on top. It was like a double attack. First Seismic Toss, then an improvised Body Slam attack right on top of Ho-Oh.

"Great job Charizard!"

Ash grinned when he saw that the stone Ho-Oh was now severely weakened.

"Charizard, finish it off with—"

Ash was shocked to see Charizard lying on the ground in a heap.

"No!"

Nurse Joy grabbed Ash's shoulder.

"Your judgment has been made Ash Ketchum. You will meet your demise immedia—"

"You can do it Charizard! I believe in you!"

Charizard's eyes shot open as it roared.

Charizard glowed red as it flew back to its feet.

"That's your Blaze ability!" Ash grinned but then he thought of something. "If it's using Blaze, its health must be really low. So…Charizard, I have an idea!"

Ash remembered Ho-Oh bursting into flames in order to ram Charizard.

_What if…? _He thought.

Just then Ho-Oh let out another Exalted Flame attack.

"Dodge it!"

Ash noticed something. Whenever Ho-Oh used Exalted Flame, it took a few seconds to regain its energy. Ash grinned.

"Use Seismic Toss!" Charizard barreled into Ho-Oh and grabbed it.

Ash was right. Ho-Oh had no time to react since it was too busy regaining its energy.

Charizard flew up with a struggling Ho-Oh in its arms. Charizard then flew down, spinning as it dove like it always did during Seismic Toss.

"Use Flamethrower as you spin!"

Charizard breathed flame as it spun to create a wall of flame around it and Ho-Oh.

"Now throw Ho-Oh into the flames!"

Charizard nodded and quickly threw Ho-Oh into the flame wall around it and Charizard that it had created using flamethrower as they spun. As soon as the stone Ho-Oh hit the flames, it began to glow white. As Ash watched, Ho-Oh turned to glance at him for a second, almost smiling at him, before flashing once and zooming back into the Fire Gem on the Priestess' staff.

Ash had won and the crowd was clearly astonished, especially the Priestess, who then calmly smiled to herself. She was clearly impressed.

Ash was exhilarated. He'd really used his creativity to win that battle, like a Pokemon Coordinator would have done. May would have been proud.

He grinned at Charizard, who grinned back. Charizard flew down to Ash and landed in front of its trainer.

"We did it!" Even at twenty-two and being a borderline drunk, Ash loved winning a battle, especially if it meant he wouldn't die. Ash and Charizard hugged. Then both withdrew from the hug.

"Sorry Charizard, I forgot we're too old for that now."

Ash sheepishly grinned. "Handshake?"

Charizard nodded and extended a claw to shake his hand.

The Chief Priestess was now in the stadium and walking towards Ash.

Nurse Joy also held out a hand to shake Ash's. She smiled. "Good job Ash Ketchum. No one has ever won a battle against the guardian. Your heart must be truly pure." She handed him Mr. Pokemon's journal. "This belongs to you. We know now that whatever use you have for this book will be for the greater good."

Ash grinned. "Thank you so much!"

As Nurse Joy knelt down to use a key to unlock the shackles that were attaching Ash's ankle to the wall as the Chief Priestess stood before him, she seemed oddly happy.

"Good job Ash Ketchum. I must say I'm impressed. You must have a pure and just heart."

Ash grinned. "Thanks!"

The Priestess became serious. "Of course, I must ask that you never reveal the existence of our society to anyone.

Ash nodded. "Of course."

The Priestess solemnly nodded. "Unfortunately, we have no memory removal spells so I'll have to believe you. I shall now send your Pokemon back to where it came from." She snapped her fingers and Charizard disappeared back to the Charific Valley. The Priestess turned back to him. "One more thing. Your prize for he with a pure heart. You shall see what I see." Her eyes glowed purple as she gently touched Ash's forehead with her index finger.

Ash's eyes flashed purple as he found himself in the middle of a strange barren, desert. The Priestess had clearly given him a vision.

Ash looked around at his surroundings. It looked as if there was no life for miles. Ash began to walk through the desert.

"Where am I?"

After a few minutes, he began to glimpse what looked like a town. But he didn't think he recognized the town at all. He ran toward it, hoping to find out where he was.

When he reached the town, the Priestess suddenly appeared beside him in the vision. Without, a word, she pointed at a large building on top of a hill that looked like it was in shambles. Ash walked through a gate that appeared to have been broken off its hinges and up the hill into the building.

Inside, he saw that the lines of the building were lined with books, some on bookshelves, some not. Ash walked up to a book on the floor and picked it up.

The cover said **The Mechanics of Evolution Stones**. Ash gasped.

"This must have been a Pokemon Lab a long time ago!"

At further inspection, it seemed that the lab had been looted and that everything of real value was gone. Except for a single computer sitting on the floor, still plugged into the wall, and with a mouse and keyboard also on the floor with it. Ash knelt down to the computer. It was on. It appeared that some kind of scanning program was on. The program hadn't found anything it was looking for at all.

Ash then saw that another window was open on the monitor and he used the mouse to switch to that window. It appeared to be a digital Pokemon data base. Ash forlornly scrolled through the list of Pokemon on the data base and found what he was looking for. Pikachu. An old favorite. He clicked on the link to go to the entry on Pikachu.

**It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs.**

Then Ash saw something else at the bottom of the page. **THIS DATABASE CANNOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS POKEMON IN THE WORLD. THIS LEADS THIS UNIT TO DECLARE IT EXTINCT.**

Ash gasped. "No." He then clicked on the link to see the next entry on #26 Raichu. He scrolled to the bottom.

**THIS DATABASE CANNOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS POKEMON IN THE WORLD. THIS LEADS THIS UNIT TO DECLARE IT EXTINCT.**

"NO!"

He clicked to the next entry on Sandshrew.

**EXTINCT.**

Next entry.

**EXTINCT.**

Next entry.

**EXTINCT.**

Ash went through countless entries on countless Pokemon. All seemed to be **EXTINCT.**

Ash got up and quickly kicked the computer. It flipped over and the monitor screen smashed.

"NO!"

The Priestess stood behind him, still silent. Ash desperately stared at her.

"What's going on?"

She handed him another book.

**SKETCHES **was written across the cover. Ash opened it and saw a picture of Pikachu. His Pikachu? His eyes drifted to the bottom of the page. A signature. It read **TRACY SKETCHIT.**

Ash turned to the Priestess. "This is Tracy's. But Tracy works at Oak Labs…" A devastating realization dawned on him.

He helplessly turned to the Priestess, who rose a hand in reply.

The vision quickly ended and faded as Ash found himself standing back in the stadium with Nurse Joy and the Priestess…in the real world.

Ash turned to the Priestess. "What was that?"

She grimaced. "That is what we must protect this society from. Your journey can lead to nowhere good Ash Ketchum. Dark forces plan in the shadows. And you. You are part of their plot. Beware Ash Ketchum. Your future is dark and barren. As far as the eye can see."

Ash stared at her helplessly. "So we're all screwed."

The Priestess shook her head. "No. There is hope. There is always hope. I have seen visions of you in your childhood. You have succeeded many times with your boundless hope. Hope will be key in the times ahead. I have shown you these visions in my own hope that a true hero will rise. Your trial was never because of a journal. It was because we have great need for a warrior pure of heart to face the evil that now lurks throughout this world." She smiled at Ash and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Never lose your hope. May you promise me that?"

Ash hung his head as he thought. _The whole reason I gave up being a trainer was that I gave up hope. That's why I turned to drinking. That's why I lost Pikachu in the first place._

Ash rose his head to gaze into the Priestess' eyes as she handed him back Mr. Pokemon's Journal.

"I promise."


	5. James

Pokémon: 2024

James

A man in his thirties dressed solely in a brown nomadic robe and a straw hat walked along a dirt path under the night sky somewhere nearby Route 202 in Sinnoh, with a Persian that looked like it hadn't eaten for days walking beside him.

The man looked up at the sun as he walked and brushed a strand of purple hair from his eyes. The Persian awkwardly shuffled alongside him.

"There."

The Persian turned its head to see where the man was pointing. A few hundred feet ahead of them stood a magnificent looking cottage which the man smiled at nostalgically.

"I used to spend my summers here. When my first summer cottage was being cleaned. We should be safe. Don't do anything suspicious though. I don't think I have enough energy left to go on the run again."

The Persian nodded, still looking down at the path it was walking on. "Meowth—"

The Persian attempted to fight back a sudden rage as it whipped its head toward the man and shouted, "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" It attempted to fight back its tears as it spoke.

"Don't you ever call me that", it said as it's feet collapsed and it fell to the ground crying. The man stopped walking and knelt down near his friend. "I'm sorry. I forgot." The Persian shook it's head. "It's just…so hard." The man patted his head. "I know."

He picked up the Pokemon and carried him as he sobbed. They then found themselves standing at the cottage's door and the man unlocked it with a key that was concealed under his robe. He walked in and set the Persian down on a fancy looking couch. Then he took off his straw hat and held it to his chest. "I hate to ask this now…but…I need to go to town. This place hasn't had food in years." The Persian struggled to his feet and picked up its head. It smiled and got to its feet. Its two feet. He bared his claws and sprung them forward as several gold coins sprung forward as well.

"Your payday attack really is amazing." "Thanks," replied the Persian. "It's the one silver lining to this new hell I'm in."

The man glanced at him sympathetically as he picked up the scatted coins. "They would have looked for a Meowth. She knows about you. The only way we can get away from her is if you're a different Pokemon." The Persian awkwardly returned to standing on four paws. "And if you act just like a regular Persian. Four legs and no talking. It really must be hell. I never thought you'd be able to shut up with that big mouth of yours."

He awkwardly laughed at his desperate attempt at a joke. Persian only felt worse. The man bowed down his head and somberly walked as he sat his hat back on his head and walked out the door.

Then he stuck his head back inside. "Thank you for what you did Meowth. Really. You're my greatest friend." "Meowth" didn't respond and the man sadly turned back to walking outside. Then as he shuffled down the walk to leave the yard, the Persian stuck its own head outside.

"James."

"Yes?"

"The fridge is full of food."

"You would be the first one to notice that."

"You aren't really going to get food, are you?"

"No."

"You're going to find him."

James didn't answer. "Do you know where he is?"

James kept silent, then, "No. But I will. I have to."

"Meowth" stepped outside. "Let me go with you."

"No. You've been hurt enough by this. I'll send a letter in two weeks time and every two weeks after that. If I don't, I've left you a number of an old friend whose boat docks near here in Sandgem town. I know you've never been to Sinnoh before so you might want to look up a map to get there. You can leave to a safe house, I had my connections construct in a far away region that she'll never find. Ever."

James continued walking. The Persian took another step forward and looked up to the sky.

"James!" He turned around. The Persian looked at him. "Make her pay for what she did to me."

James turned and nodded at him in determination.

"Meowth" turned back to go inside.

"James!"

James stepped toward him.

"Yeah?"

"Don't call me that…"

James sadly nodded. "Oh…right."

"Call me…Persian…"

James grinned and continued walking down the path and out of the yard.

After a few minutes of walking, James stopped and looked around. He was alone.

"This is all my fault. I started this."

James took out a Pokeball and released a Staravia. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and carefully strapped it to the Staravia's leg.

"You know what to do."

The Staravia flew away as James watched it.

"It all ends…now…"

Meanwhile...

A solitary figure watched from the shadows of the night as James calmly continued walking down the path.

"Huh. Guess the rumors were true. He should've known that he's not that subtle. The Rockets could've found him whenever they wanted...if we wanted them to anyway..."

The man stepped out from the shadows, revealing a sandy blonde haired man of about 6 ft. 5 inches, slightly stocky but with a decent about of muscle. His voice was accented by a highly noticeable accent(think Russian). He pulled out a cell and began to dial a number.

"Hello."

Across the line, a loud voice rang in the blonde man's ears, masked by a voice disguising device the man on the line used in order to prevent anyone learning his identity that he didn't want to.

"He has been sighted. I imagine he is heading your way now. To find him."

"He is not a problem. I have met him again. He is broken."

The blonde man gasped. "Broken? We can't operate on assumptions here. He is not to be underestimated."

The voice sounded exasperated. "So what would you have us do Ewan?"

"Allow me to apprehend him. Sir."

The man on the phone sighed. "Whatever. Just get the job done. I could care less how."

The sandy haired man nodded. "I will see to it now sir."

"Just get to it."

He hung up and the sandy haired man pulled out a tube. He loaded a dart seeping with some kind of solution from the tip into a weird looking rifle like gun and targeted his victim while James obliviously stopped to stare at the stars and appreciate the night.

Ewan laughed. "Just like my days hunting Donphan in the jungle…" He readied his finger at the trigger and steadied the gun. Then he pulled the trigger and smiled…

NEXT: ORIGINS 1


	6. Origins

Pokemon 2024

Chapter 8

Origins

Sort of going to digress away from the main storyline for this chapter. Next chapter I'll return to the whole Ash and the Golden Loop plot line. This one, however, will focus on the antagonist I introduced a few chapters ago. Enjoy.

**23 years ago…**

"Come on Mankey!"

"Mankey!"

"We're going to be late to the Proff's!"

A young sandy haired boy ran along the streets of Pallet Town with his pet Mankey running along beside him. The date was March 1st, 1989…the first day of Spring…the day boy had signed up to begin his journey on. Today nothing could stop him. He had run two miles from his house without stopping once. As he continued running, another kid came into view, a girl his age.

"Hey Aurea!"

The girl turned and meekly waved. The boy sensed something was wrong.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing…"

"C'mon! You can tell me anything."

"It was that guy Cam again, wasn't it? Why do you even listen to him?"

"His dad works for Professor Oak. He has to know something about what he's talking about."

"That guy's a dick. He just wants to make you feel bad." He put a hand on her shoulder and grinned. "Trust me. You know everything about Pokemon. You'll make a fantastic Professor. Just like your dad."

Aurea smiled. "You think so?"

"I know it!"

Aurea paused and looked up at the sky. "I miss Unova Ewan. It's an amazing place. Mountains and lakes and skies filled with Pokemon you've never seen before!"

"It's the same sky. No matter where you go, you'll always have the sky. And somewhere under this sky…Unova's waiting to have a very important person back in her home. But you're here for a reason. Pallet School will give you the perfect foundation for the future you deserve."

"Your future too Ewan. Our future."

The boy looked into her eyes as she spoke.

"We'll be together. Forever. Promise?"

The sandy haired boy smiled and turned to his Mankey, which had hopped onto his shoulder. It winked at him and the boy laughed. He turned to the girl and grinned. "Yeah. I do."

…**One year later…**

"Wow! That was super cool! A first year trainer making it to the quarter finals of the Pokemon League…WOW!"

The sandy haired boy grinned. "Yeah! I was nervous at first but all I had to do was put my trust in my Pokemon and now look where I am! It doesn't even matter that I lost!"huge

"And it was so close too!"

"Yeah, I could've won if I timed that Solar Beam attack a bit better! But now I'm starving, let's get something to eat!"

"How about that place?"

They turned to look at a huge festive-looking tent with music resounding from inside.

The girl smiled. "Shall we?"

"Please!"

They walked inside and were greeted by the sight of an Alakazam standing in front of four Bellossum on a stage. The Alakazam was psychically playing many instruments while the Bellossum danced behind it. The whole tent was dancing and laughing.

"Let's dance Ewan!"

The boy's stomach rumbled. "Can't we eat first?"

"Ewan!"

"Okay Aurea, just for you!"

She clasped his hand and began to guide him in dancing since she was the only one of the two that could actually dance. But neither of them cared about the quality of their movements or how they looked to the crowd around them. At their feet, Mankey danced a frantic jig.

"This is much better than sitting around moping with Gregory, isn't it?"

"You bet!"

Aurea looked up at him. "If only we could dance forever."

…**7 years later…**

"Mankey! Are you okay?"

Ewan ran to his fallen and beaten Pokemon which was crumpled on the ground in pain and quickly sent it back to its pokeball.

"Get some rest."

"When are you going to learn?"

Ewan looked up at the guy walking towards him.

The guy laughed. "Your Pokemon are too weak. You have a long way to go before you should challenge me again."

"Leave them alone Clark! They got me into the semi-finals at the League last year. How 'bout yours?"

Clark smirked and glanced at the Tyranitar walking beside him. "Oh, they're fine. Trust me. They do a lot better than Pokemon that got into the semi-finals that's for sure."

Ewan glared at him in rage.

"Anyway. Where are those two kids you usually hang with?"

"Aurea's talking with that gym leader Whitney about Normal types. I haven't seen Greg in a while now."

"It's about time you were on your own. Maybe you can learn training isn't one big damn vacation."

"What?"

"There's a reason your Pokemon suck compared to mine. It's you."

"Me?"

"Because of that girl you travel with, you're always looking for the next party. But training isn't a party. If you want to be the best. You have to beat the rest. That requires training. Being a trainer takes commitment. You have to think about the next step every single second. Or you'll lose every battle. And that would make you…a failure."

Ewan looked down at his shoes as he thought over his words.

Clark brushed a hand through his hair and his expression softened.

"Look. Don't get me wrong. You got potential. But now…all you're doing is throwing it all away. Friends hold you back. You can't think about them. Only training. That's the key. Just remember that…and maybe you'll defeat me…one day."

Ewan frowned at him as he spoke. "You're wrong! A journey isn't just about winning. It's about new friendships, and bonding with your Pokemon."

Clark sighed and held up a pokeball. "You're hopeless. Tyranitar…return." A red light sucked Tyranitar back into the pokeball. "I'm gone."

Clark turned and walked the other way as Ewan glared at him. Clark chuckled to himself as he walked. "Such a waste…"

…**Two months later…**

"Oh thank G-d! I finally found you!"

Ewan turned to see Aurea frantically running toward him.

"Ewan! Where have you been?"

He couldn't reply.

When she finally got to him she threw herself onto him in a hug so tight it knocked the wind out of him. She pulled away and looked into his eyes before leaning forward and kissing him for the first time in two months.

Ewan smiled. "I missed you too".

"Don't scare me like that again, got it?!"

"Got it".

"What were you thinking".

"Honestly…I don't…know".

"Is anything wrong?"

He shrugged. "No. I don't think so".

…**Three years later…**

"It's okay Ewan."

"Since when is failure okay?"

"You made it the semi-finals of the Pokemon League! Since when is that a failure."

"If you don'tmake it to the top, you don't win. That means I lost. Losing is failure in my book. I a failure."

"You're being too hard on yourself!"

"I'm really not."

His Mankey patted his shoulder as the Pokemon hung from his arm.

"Don't patronize me!" He swung his arm and Mankey was flung off. It hit the ground hard.

Aurea stared at him in shock. "Ewan…"

He kneeled down to pick Mankey up. "I'm…I'm sorry".

Aurea looked away from him. "Maybe you should take some time to calm down".

"I'm fine". He reached out a hand to grab her arm, which she abruptly yanked away.

"Don't touch me!"

"But…you're my girlfriend".

"I don't know about that anymore."

"You don't mean that!"

"I wish that was true…" She began to hastily walk away.

"I'm sorry!"

Aurea turned and studied him.

"What happened Ewan?"

…**Six years later…**

He sat alone in a Pokemon Center somewhere in Dewford town in Hoenn.

"Gregory?"

A man in a trench coat was leaning against the counter in disgust until he saw him.

"Ewan?"

He ran over to him with his hand out and eagerly shook hands with him.

"It's been a while Gregory".

"Uh…yeah".

"Where have you been. You sort of ditched my ass when we were kids man".

"I've been opening my eyes buddy. Opening my eyes to all this damn bullshit".

"What?"

Gregory narrowed his eyes and frowned. "This is some dangerous shit we've been dealing with…and it has to stop. I know that now. I've seen you on TV. What are you, some kind of fucking slave driver? Some dumbass? News flash fucker. These monsters aint meant to be controlled."

Ewan grimaced and flipped him off. "Hey fuck you, you damn putz".

"Fuck this. I knew you wouldn't understand. Where's your Mankey anyway? It's always out of its pokeball if I remember".

Ewan froze.

"Aren't you going to speak asshole?"

There was something different about his old friend but Ewan couldn't place what it was.

"Speak putz!"

Gregory pushed him backward and he crashed into the chairs behind him, still unable to react.

"Hey!"

A bulky security guard ran forward and grabbed Gregory. "That's enough".

Gregory whirled around and clocked the guard in the jaw, flooring him. The guard winced in pain before taking out a pokeball and releasing a Machoke.

"Cuff 'em Machoke!"

"Choke!"

Gregory grinned sadistically. "Oh yes, let's use the fucking beasts to oppress humanity. Fuck you cop!"

The guard got up and began to help Machoke drag him away.

"That's fine buddy! Go ahead and bully me, just remember that you won't have your weapon by your side for long. What shall you do when you're all by yourself?"

"Move!" The guard yanked him back and clasped a hand over his mouth.

Gregory bit his hand and he brought it back in recoil. Gregory used the split second before the guard knocked him out to shout one more thing.

"Where's your fucking Mankey now Ewan? Where's it now?"

Ewan lay there. He had no reply.

**NOW**

He sat in the driver's seat in a black van, driving the biggest danger to the boss' operation to headquarters for a punishment he knew would be worse than death. He sat there deep in thought before reaching into his coat and pulling out a photograph. From the first day. It was him. And…his friends? He didn't know anymore. The picture didn't cause the same emotions it used to. There was one feeling though…regret. The photo did look different now though. Now it was just a photo of him…a lost Pokemon…and…a girl…just a girl.


	7. Marauder Rising Part One

_**A/N: Haven't updated this in a looong time and to be honest, with all the things I have to do, it'll probably be a while until the next update as well. But I have to say, this chapter and the next seem really promising in terms of the overall story arc. I also will have brought back about four characters from the anime by the end of next chapter that I think will bring a lot to the story.**_

**Three days later…**

Forrest Harrison wiped his eyes in exhaustion after a long day as the Pewter City Gym Leader.

"Alright Golem…time to go home."

He smiled at his Pokemon which grinned back as Forrest took out a pokeball to recall it.

"Wait."

Forrest whirled around to look at the man walking through the door into the gym.

"Forrest Harrison. I've come to challenge you."

Forrest looked at him apologetically. "Sorry sir, the gym's closed for the day…we open up again at 9 tomorrow though…"

The man shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. I'm afraid this challenge is…non negotiable…"

Forrest gasped as four jetpack using robots equipped with mechanical cannons flew into the room.

"Golem! Hyper beam!"

The man smirked. "Not this time…NOW!"

Two robots suddenly began firing strange looking pokeballs all over the gym at the various rock Pokemon that were all resting after a long and tiring day as the other two whizzed into the other rooms to capture those Pokemon as well.

Then they hit their targets.

"NO!" Forrest darted around the room trying to protect the Pokemon. But it was a useless effort as one by one, the strange pokeballs captured every single Pokemon in the gym and the robots began collecting all the pokeballs that had captured the gym's Pokemon.

Forrest stared at the man in anger. "Let them go! You can't steal other people's Pokemon!"

The man laughed. "I can. And I did more than that…"

The robots flew back to the man and he took one of the strange pokeballs from one of them. He threw it into the air.

"Come on out Golem!"

An ominous black light erupted from the ball and released the Golem that Forrest knew all too well…

Forrest stared in terror as he noticed something…Golem looked different…stronger…angrier…

"Golem…is that you…?"

Golem roared in fury as it began charging up an astonishing amount of power…

Forrest fell to his knees in fear. "Golem…please…"

"STOP GOLEM."

Golem suddenly stopped charging power and looked back at the man who nodded at it in approval.

"Now Forrest. If my boss had his way you'd have been dead seconds ago…but being the precocious rascal I am…I have a better idea…"

Forrest stared at him, speechless.

The man grinned. "So will you help me out?"

Forrest shook his head. "Fuck you."

The man laughed. "Too bad. You don't have a choice."

He walked up to Forrest and put a hand on his shoulder as he took out a pokeball to prepare to release the Pokemon inside.

"I understand you know a friend of mine…"

**Pokemon 2024**

**Chapter Nine**

**Marauder Rising**

**Part One**

**Pewter In Shadows**

**ONE DAY LATER…**

Ash Ketchum sat in the waiting room of the Pewter City Pokemon Center, watching the local news station as he waited for Nurse Joy to come back with his room key.

_Welcome back. Our next story: the killings continue. Numerous reports of deaths in the area surrounding Pewter City have been filed as there seems to be incriminating evidence that the killers of these trainers are actually their own Pokemon…_

"Scary, isn't it?"

Ash turned to see Nurse Joy standing behind him with his room key in her hand. He took it.

Nurse Joy turned to the television as the news report continued.

"A few days ago the third victim's body was found by Pewter Falls, less than a mile from the city…"

Ash stared at her. "How do they know it was their Pokemon that did it?"

Nurse Joy began to tense up as she recalled the disturbing memory of what Officer Jenny had told her.

"The victim they found at the falls…had his eyes scratched out by his own Chatot... his most loved Pokemon too. When he was found…his friend said she heard it…crying. It was just saying 'I'm sorry'…over and over…"

Nurse Joy was clearly fighting back tears as she continued the story.

"Now everybody's terrified that they'll be next…in the past few days hundreds of trainer have just packed up and left the city they've called home their whole lives. But I won't. Not as long as I'm needed here…"

Ash nodded in understanding and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Whoever it is…they'll find him. My friend Brock knows the Officer Jenny here. She's one of the best there is."

Nurse Joy smiled at him as she left to go wipe down the counter.

Ash turned back to the television but the story was already over.

Suddenly the front door slammed open and an all too familiar face stepped through the door and looked around.

Ash knew this person.

"Forrest?"

Forrest walked up to him in exhaustion. "Ash. It's…you."

Ash stood and the two men grasped each other's hands and grinned.

"Ash. It's been a while."

"Great to see you Forrest!"

Nurse Joy walked over. "Forrest? Is everything alright?"

Forrest nodded and smiled. "I've actually been doing pretty well recently considering…you know…recent events…"

Nurse Joy nodded. "Well at least someone's happy. Thank you for helping to patrol the streets at night by the way. Jenny told me. It's good to know one of our more well known residents is helping to keep us all safe."

Forrest smiled. "Well it is the right thing to do. This is my home after all."

He turned back to Ash. "Anyway, I've been looking all over for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I heard you were in town and well, we need to catch up. How about coming with me and hanging out for an hour?"

Ash grinned. "Actually, that sounds pretty good right about now. Let's go."

He began to walk towards the door. "Seeya Nurse Joy. I really hope everything works out…"

"Wait."

Ash turned to look at Forrest.

"I was kind of hoping you could get some of your Pokemon so we could battle like old times. You know…if it's not too much to ask…and I don't know if you have any with you after you retired from training."

Ash nodded. "Uh…sure Forrest. I can do that." He walked over to the PC to withdraw some of his old Pokemon from when he was a trainer.

When he was done, they left.

An hour later, Nurse Joy looked up as the news came back on after a commercial break.

_BREAKING NEWS! Recent reports have come in that the Pewter Pokemon Gym's Pokemon have all inexplicably disappeared. And along with them, the Gym Leader Forrest Harrison! The PPD is now making it a priority to solve this case as it could be directly linked to the recent Pokemon murders they have been trying to solve for the past two weeks…_

Nurse Joy stared at the screen. "But…he was just here. He said everything was fine…"

Her jaw dropped as a terrible thought dawned on her…

She grabbed her cell phone out of a pocket from her apron and began to hurriedly dial 9-1-…

Nurse Joy suddenly felt her hand stop against her will as she put her phone back into her pocket and saw a furious looking Alakazam walk through the door as it used its psychic power to force her to succumb to its will.

"No…this can't be happening…"

"SHADOW PULSE!"

Nurse Joy felt herself being released from the Alakazam's power as it was knocked out by a powerful Shadow Pulse attack.

"Oh thank God!"

The Gengar that must have done the attack walked up to the counter while its smirking trainer walked behind it.

"I don't know about God Nurse Joy…but you're more than welcome to call me Giovanni."

**NEXT:**

**Ash is drawn into a trap of unimaginable danger.**

**Officer Jenny races to stop the next killing with an unexpected ally.**


End file.
